Redknapp in dock over tax evasion allegations

Redknapp, who has been tipped as a future England manager, is accused of two counts of cheating the public revenue when he was manager of Portsmouth.

He is accused alongside the then Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric.

The first charge alleges that between April 1, 2002, and November 28, 2007, Mandaric paid $145,000 into a bank account held by Redknapp in Monaco, to avoid paying income tax and national insurance.

Charge

The second charge for the same offence relates to a sum of $150,000 allegedly paid by Mandaric to the same account between May 1, 2004, and November 28, 2007.

Both men deny the charges and a two-week trial was due to begin in London this morning.

Redknapp, 64, who underwent minor heart surgery last year to unblock his arteries, is the most successful English manager in the modern game, having led Portsmouth to FA Cup success and Spurs to last season's Champions League quarter-finals.

Serbian Mandaric is now the chairman of Sheffield Wednesday, having previously worked at Leicester City.